Capacitors
Sourcing Guide & Market Intelligence

Tariffs to negatively impact the electrical systems and lighting components sector

• The Trump Administration’s reciprocal tariffs, which apply general tariff rate increases to most leading US trade partners, are set to take effect on August 7, after the administration finalized the rates on August 1. These changes will significantly increase the tariff rate on leading electrical system and lighting component exporting countries, including China (54.0%), Mexico (25.0%), Vietnam (20.0%), and Taiwan (20.0%).
• The United States also raised tariffs on aluminum and steel, common inputs in electrical systems and components, to 50.0% in July, adding to rising costs in this sector.
• Lighting companies, such as Signify, commonly operate factories in Mexico and import components from China, indicating that higher tariffs will increase operating costs for suppliers with domestic manufacturing operations, in addition to increasing the cost of imported finished products.
• As many electrical systems and components, such as electrical transformers and switchgear systems, are already facing shortages and price increases, higher tariffs are likely to drive up prices further. For example, electrical transformer prices have already risen 70.0% to 100.0% since 2020, and higher tariffs are expected to push up prices further as Mexico, Canada, and China supply 80.0% of the transformers used in the United States.
• Likewise, the United States is reliant on imports for many major lighting components. For example, according to the Department of Energy, 94.0% of all LED imports to the United States were manufactured in China.

Increased tariffs on copper imports take effect

• On August 1, the Trump administration implemented 50.0% tariffs on imported copper. Chile and Canada will be most impacted by these tariffs, as they account for a combined 87.0% of all copper imports in the United States.
• However, these tariffs are less sweeping than initially expected, only applying to semi-finished copper products, while excluding high-purity refined copper and copper input materials, such as ore and concentrate. As leading importers, such as Chile and Canada, have both high copper mining and refining capacities, they will likely avoid most of these tariffs by either exporting the copper in its unrefined form or refining the copper before exporting it to the United States
• These copper tariff exemptions limit the impact on the electronics and electrical equipment sectors because these applications require refined copper due to its optimal conductive properties.
• Thus, the prices of metal alloys that include copper, consumer products made from copper, tools, plumbing, corrosion-resistant alloys, and construction materials made from copper are forecast to rise by an average of 39.2%, according to the Yale Budget Lab.

United States announces new tariffs on all imported aluminum

• In February 2025, the United States announced 25.0% tariffs on all imported aluminum with no exemptions or exceptions. The tariffs took effect on March 12, 2025. On June 4th, these tariffs were increased further to 50%. These tariffs were not impacted by a recent court decision that temporarily suspended duties on certain goods as they were implemented under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act.
• Previously, countries such as Canada and Mexico, two of the top exporters of aluminum to the United States, had exemptions from tariffs and the rate was only 10.0%. These have now been removed and all imported aluminum, regardless of origin, will be subject to the 50.0% tariff.
• When tariffs on imported aluminum were implemented in March 2018, aluminum prices rose modestly. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), prices rose 1.2% in the year after the tariffs were introduced. Because this market relies on aluminum as an input, it may be impacted by this policy.